March 19, 2024

Clean energy : Norway, Sweden, others set to transform Lagos into a smart, green city

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Solomon Ezeme

 

Lagos is about to wear a new look courtesy of Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland, as the four Nordic countries have disclosed their plans to turn the megacity, one of Africa’s largest economic hubs, into ‘Green’ in line with EU’s “Green Agenda”.

The four Nordic nations pledged their support in Lagos on Tuesday, during the Nordic-Nigeria Connect Conference on Smart City and Circular Economy organised by the embassies of the four Nordic nations in Nigeria.

The event which had in attendance about hundred Nigerian companies and sixty Nordic firms, focused on Green Energy, Green Transportation and Waste-Water Management, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anniken Huitfeldt, commended the positive bilateral relationship that has existed between Nigeria and Norway.

She pointed out that the essence of the green project is to promote global climate change agenda by making Lagos a smart, clean, green city through the application of cutting-edge technology and best waste management practices.

“We have enjoyed constructive cooperation in many sectors. Norway has a great deal to offer as the renewable energy companies continue to grow.

“We have cutting edge companies providing green transport solutions and are supporting these efforts of trade promotion by working hard to bring Norwegian technologies around the world,“ she said.

Danish State Secretary for Trade and Global Sustainability, Steen Hommel, in a virtual message during the 2-day event, disclosed that the Danish Government is ready to revolutionalize activities in Lagos through the “Green Agenda”.

“Lagos is the epicentre of Nordic commercial trade and we believe that going forward, much of the activities in the state would be shaped by the green agenda,“ Hommel said.

Also, Carl-Michael Gräns, the Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, called on companies to buy into the project to supply the required expertise and equipment that would help accomplish the agenda.

“We need to cooperate at different levels and of course businesses are at the heart of this because they provide the solutions. They have the competitiveness and the new technical solutions.

“What we can do as an embassy and government is to facilitate for these companies to expand and develop through this conference.

“We talk about building back better and greener after the pandemic. So we have to work on different levels which include the governmental, local and business levels,” he said.

Finland’s Deputy Minister for International Trade, Nina Vaskunlahti, assured the Lagos State Government of the country’s support towards making the commercial city green and clean.

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